Generally, chiropractors treat various injuries caused by auto accidents, such as whiplash, herniated discs, and soft tissue injuries. Ironically, many car accident injuries are the result of the seatbelt. While it may have saved your life, a seatbelt is designed to halt the movement of your body during a car crash, which is why you could suffer an injury even if the accident were minor. While a seatbelt will stop your body from moving, it doesn't stop internal organs, the neck, and your body's extremities from moving, which can cause misalignment of tendons, vertebrae, and joints.
Whiplash - Whiplash is an injury to the neck when the head moves forcefully back and forth, as is often the case in a car accident. Most commonly, whiplash is the result of rear-end collisions. While it can resolve on its own in a few weeks, it is a very painful injury that can impede your ability to work and perform normal daily functions. However, some people can suffer long-lasting issues from this injury. A bad case of whiplash can also affect bones in the spine, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerves.
Generally, the higher the speed at which you were hit, the more severe the injury. It can be significantly worse if you've had whiplash previously, are an older adult, or had existing back and neck pain before the accident. The sudden jolt of a car crash causes the ligaments and muscles of the neck to become overly stretched and may even tear as a result. Common symptoms include the following:
- Neck pain and stiffness, especially when moving the neck
- Loss of range of movement in the neck, such as difficulty moving the head up or down or side to side.
- Soreness and tenderness in the shoulders, back, or upper arms
- Headaches that start at the base of the skull and move outward
- Blurry vision, dizziness, or ringing of the ears
- Tingling or numbness in the arms or hands
Understanding that some of these symptoms can indicate a more serious problem, such as spinal cord damage or a traumatic brain injury, is crucial. It's best to consult a physician as well as a chiropractor for these symptoms. It's also important to note that whiplash can cause serious complications such as disc degeneration, chronic neck pain, and restricted movement if left untreated.
Joint injuries - Knees, ankles, and elbows can be knocked around in a collision, and impacts cause vertebral compression and ruptures, which may result in pain, nerve irritation, and inflammation. Joint pain is caused when the ends of the bones that form the joint are moved from their original position. During an accident, the socket lining, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons can be weakened, stretched, and even torn.
Symptoms of joint injuries include the following:
- Acute pain and discomfort
- Swelling and bruising
- Joint tenderness
- Numbness and tingling sensations
- Abnormal sounds in the joints, such as cracking and popping noises
If left untreated, joint injuries can result in loss of range of motion, damage to nerve tissue and blood vessels, the likelihood of repeat dislocations, and permanent joint instability requiring surgery.
Back injuries - While whiplash can cause back pain, herniated discs, and soft tissue injuries are also significant factors. A sudden forceful impact causes strain on the spine. If a disc is misplaced, it can bulge out of place or even rupture, resulting in pressure on the surrounding spinal nerves and causing substantial pain. Likewise, you could suffer from fractured vertebrae or back sprains and strains. An auto accident chiropractor will do a comprehensive physical exam and run tests to isolate the issue and develop a treatment regimen.